Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup With Basil and Spinach
I loosely followed Ina Garten’s recipe for Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup, but made it creamy and a bit more nutritious by blending in some spinach.
I used sweet summer cherry tomatoes to roast rather than plum tomatoes, which makes this soup a great summer-to-fall transitional meal. I made a big batch and froze enough for 3 additional dinners, that we can enjoy after tomato season has passed. This tastes best if you make it in advance, letting it sit in the refrigerator for at least a day.
Here’s how I made it:
Ingredients (for 8-10 servings)
1 heaping pint of cherry tomatoes, I mixed yellow and red (can use other tomatoes, like Roma, if these aren’t in season)
1 28oz BPA-free can of whole tomatoes
6-8 cups (1.5-2 cartons) of organic bone broth (I use Pacific brand)
2 small-medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
A big bunch of fresh basil (Ina calls for 4 cups, I eyeball it)
1 5oz bag/container of fresh spinach
A sprinkle of sugar in the raw/turbinado sugar, if desired for taste (the sweetness of tomatoes varies greatly)
1 tbsp Butter, or ghee, and olive oil to drizzle
Sea salt to taste, I start with a tsp and then add dashes from there by taste
Half and half or heavy cream…as much as you want!
Directions
Heat oven to 400F.
Place cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper, roast for about 20 minutes- until fragrant, golden brown and a bit shriveled. I don’t find it necessary to toss with oil or seasoning since they get added right into the soup pot.
Heat a soup pot with ~1 tbsp of butter and a drizzle of olive oil.
Add in onions and garlic and saute for a few minutes, stir a few times.
Then add in canned tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, basil, bone broth and sea salt, simmer for 15 minutes.
Off the heat add in the spinach.
Blend with an immersion blender, this will leave some texture and help retain color. If you use a blender for a smoother texture, the color may turn more brown.
Adjust seasoning once blended, and stir in cream or half and half to your creaminess preference. (This can be omitted!)
Serve with a grilled cheese, or broiled mozzarella crostini (or herbed goat cheese toast for the dairy sensitive) for the full cozy experience.